Tamahagane San Tsubame knives are made with a 3 ply stainless steel construction. The middle layer is VG-5, which forms the edge of the blade. This layer is exceptionally hard (61 HRC); it is as hard as VG-10 stainless steel but has superior edge retention. The two outer layers are made of SUS-410 stainless steel, which is softer and more stain-resistant to protect the cutting edge. In all, the knife blade material is rolled and thinned to a thickness of just 2mm. The knives are given a hammered finish to help prevent food from sticking to the blades, and this also adds to the beauty of the knives.
